Jurassic Park III
by Libquedation
Summary: Dr. Alan Grant's twins, Maggie and Mark, are as different as can be. Maggie has an infatuation with dinosaurs, while Mark hates the very idea of them. When the two go with him to Isla Sorna, all hell breaks loose. Disclaimer: only the twins are mine.
1. Chapter 1

Jolting from a dream that involved a jungle and snakes, I looked around, wary of what had disturbed me. My home phone was blaring rather obnoxiously. The caller ID said 'Mom,' so I pressed answer.

"Hello?"

"Your dad wants to know if you are interested in joining him in an excursion to fly above Isla…Sorna." Her voice faltered when she said that. But I pretended not to notice as I felt excitement well in me.

"When?"

"In about a week. You need to come back home before hand though. We miss you Maggie."

"I know Mom. I miss you guys too. Say hello to Charlie for me. I'll be home as soon as I can." I sighed back.

"Love you Mags."

"Love you too Mom."

I clicked my phone off and leaned back in bed.

My family was rather…interesting so to speak. Mom and Dad had both been on Isla Nubar, and had almost died more than once. It was rather scary to hear the stories, but I was enthralled by them.

They got married, to almost everyone's surprise after the hell they had been put through. A few years later, me and my brother, Mark, were born. I was the younger twin by twenty minutes. Mark was fiercely territorial of me.

I was the one who inherited the dinosaur fascination. I was employed under Dad. Mark didn't want anything to do with dinosaurs and worked for an architectural friend of ours. Mom worked in the branch of flora and fauna from the age of dinosaurs. Charlie was only a few years old, but he too seemed to like dinosaurs. He was constantly playing with his toys and watching movies like "Dinosaur" and "The Land Before Time."

Mark hated it.

And then at Dad's work I had met him.

Billy Brennan.

I knew that I would have no chance with him with my Dad and Mark and hell, even Mom involved. So we kept it secret.

Excitement bubbled in me as my mind reverted back to the fact that I was going to see the dinosaurs. I was going to get as near to Isla Sorna as I possibly could.

Hurriedly, I showered, ate, and cleaned up. I tossed some stuff into my duffel bag, then grabbed my notebook and laptop, tossing my satchel over my shoulder and gripping my duffel bag tightly. I locked up my apartment and jogged down the stairs to the parking spaces. My Ducati sat proudly in one of the motorcycle spaces, and I slid onto it, strapping my duffel bag across the back.

Strapping on my helmet, I made sure that my bag was secure and then started off.

A little over a hour later, I was stopped and parked in front of the house. Mark's car was surprisingly in the driveway.

_What the hell? _

My finger rung the doorbell and I saw Charlie peep through the window on the side of the door. A smile made its way to my face, and when he opened the door I dropped my bag and scooped him up into a hug.

"Hey there Charlie."

"MAGGIE!"

"Mags." Dad said, a smile on his tan face. He took Charlie from me, giving him a Velociraptor toy from his pocket. He gave me a hug even though he had just seen me a few days ago. "How's that thesis coming?"

"The one regarding parental instincts of dinosaurs?" Mom asked, coming into the room with Mark right behind her.

"Yes that one. I've talked to a few people who had been to Isla Sorna before. You know one of them dad, Ian Malcolm. Crazy S.O.B."

"I agree with you on that one." Dad said. Mom nodded in response and I laughed.

"I also talked to his wife Sarah. She too went to Isla Sorna and she was the one who wrote the documentary on the parental behavior of dinosaurs."

"Enough chit chat, let's get you inside." Mom said. I smiled and grabbed my bag from outside, before the door shut behind me.

* * *

"So, when exactly are we leaving?" I asked, leaning back in my chair, my empty plate in front of me. Dad looked at me.

"Tomorrow actually."

"Mom said in a week."

"They changed the date on me and Billy, but I managed to allow you and Mark to come along as well."

"Mark?" I asked, looking at my brother in shock. He sheepishly looked down at his plate.

Well, as sheepish as a 21 year old man can look.

"I'm not letting you go alone sis. You get into too much trouble on your own, no imagining what you will do while in a tiny plane."

"Thanks you jerk." I said, picking up another roll and chucking it lightly at him.

"Stop throwing food." Dad articulated every word with a piece of corn in my direction. I retaliated by chucking my napkin at him.

"Stop throwing food you children." Mom said, looking at us, shaking her head with a smile on her face. "You are setting a bad example for Charlie." I looked at my little brother, who was giggling and clapping his hands.

"So, tomorrow?"

"Yes. We have to be up at three in the morning to get to the airport on time so we can make it to the island."

I groaned at the idea of waking up so early.

"Shut up you big baby." Mark said, rolling his eyes at me. I rolled mine back and he laughed.

"Well, if we got to turn in that early, might as well go to bed now considering it is already past eight." I said, standing and grabbing my plate and glass. Mark followed my example, and even Charlie tried to do the same, but Mom made him sit down and eat his veggies first.

Charming.

After saying goodnight to everyone, I walked up the stairs to my old room, flopping onto the small bed. I set the alarm clock for three, then quickly booted up my computer, checking for any emails.

I had three; one from my professor, granting me vacation time because it was educational. The second was from one of the dig site operators, telling me that I was not needed during the next few weeks and that it was perfectly fine for me to focus on my thesis.

The last was from Billy. He informed me about his week and how hellish it had been. I laughed when he said that this…excursion would be torture considering it would be awkward for him to even hug me.

I typed a response back to the site overseer, then one thanking my professor, and then a lengthy one to Billy.

I shut my computer down, and then looked through my bags, trying to figure out what to wear and bring.

I decided upon a black long sleeved button up with my favorite dinosaur shirt under it and a pair of sturdy jeans and my motorcycle boots. They are my most comfortable shoes, I swear I can do anything in them. Hell, I even ran a mile in them before. In my backpack I put a bottle of water, my notebook, a pen, and a small camera bag that I put my Nikon in.

Shimmying between my sheets, I slipped into sleep, my dreams once again involving jungles and running from something I couldn't identify.

* * *

Once again I was startled out of my sleep.

"Goddamn alarm." I smashed the snooze button and went to roll over, but the door opened and in jumped Mark. He took two steps from what I heard and launched himself on my bed, causing me to bounce up, furthermore causing us to bash heads.

We both rolled onto our sides, groaning and cradling our heads.

"That's going to leave a mark." I groaned.

Mark laughed and pointed at my head. "You are already changing colors."

"Damnit. Whatever, get out of here so I can change." I said, hopping up, but swaying a bit as my vision danced before my eyes.

"Oh fuck! My eyes!" Mark cried, covering his face with my pillow. I looked down in confusion before realizing that I was just in my underwear.

"Oh please, they are just boobs, don't be such a baby." I said, grabbing his arm and shoving him out my door right into Dad.

"Maggie, get dressed please. I don't really need to know what kind of underwear you wear." He said before grabbing my twin and walking downstairs.

"Maggie put some clothes on!" Charlie screamed as he waddled by, covering his eyes.

"Jesus, has this whole family seen me in my underwear today!" I mumbled.

Shutting the door behind me, I got dressed in the dark, running my brush through my hair and grabbing my backpack, slinging it on my back.

"Okay, I'm ready!" I said as I leapt down the stairs.

"No, eat something first. Otherwise you are going to be dead tired." Mom said in that maternally way. I sighed, grabbing three pancakes and inhaling them.

"How come you are not fat?" Mark asked, looking repulsed as I wolfed down my food.

"Because I am amazing."

"Come on you children, let's go." Excitement whirled in me, causing butterflies to explode in me.

"Bye Charlie. Bye Mom. Love you both. Behave." I said, looking at both of them. Mom smiled and hugged me back.

"Be careful. You never know what will happen."

"I will Mom." I smiled at her, then reached into my backpack and pulled out an old toy of mine. "Charlie, this is Mongrel. He is my favorite dinosaur and I can't watch him when I'm on a plane. Can you do that for me?" I asked my baby brother, holding out the Spinosaurus. He looked at it, wide eyed before nodding.

"I love you Mags."

"I love you too little man." I ruffled his hair and then followed Mark and Dad outside to the car.

"You still have that death trap don't you?" Dad noted as he passed in front of my motorcycle.

"What? It is easier to ride than a car! And after I totaled the Honda I am reluctant to drive a car."

"That car was messed up." Mark said, opening the door for me on the old truck.

"Why thank you kind brother." I said in a fake British accent. He laughed and slammed the seat back up, sliding in next to Dad and leaving me in the cramped backseat.

At least I could stretch my legs out.

Sliding out of my backpack, I put it on the floor and stretched across the backseat, closing my eyes as the darkness outside whisked by…

"Mags? Maggie? MAGGIE!" I blinked my eyes and squinted as they were blinded by the sun.

"Whaddyawant?" I mumbled.

"We are here dumbass." With that, I clambered over the seat and was out of the truck before Mark could say anything else.

"You must be Maggie and Mark, Dr. Grant's twins. Hello, I'm Paul Kirby. This is my wife, Amanda. And they are Udesky, Cooper, and Nash. They will be flying us as low as we are allowed to get over Isla Sorna. You ready to go?"

"Where's Billy?" Dad asked, and my heart leapt at his name.

"He's already on the plane." Mr. Kirby said. I gave him the once over. Seemed a little fidgety to me.

"Come on you two." Dad said. He walked up the small steps into the plane and I gulped for a moment.

I don't like heights.

Mark went up next, and I politely let everyone else on before me, gathering myself. I looked in the window, and saw Billy for a split second, and I felt my fears roll away. I stepped on the plane, and when my eyes spotted Billy I instantly relaxed. I saw his shoulders relax a little, even when Dad sat down across from him. Mr. and Mrs. Kirby sat down in front of Dad and Billy. Mark sat behind Dad, and Cooper went all the way to the back of the plane.

Under any other circumstances, it would have been suspicious if I sat anywhere near Billy, but every other seat was taken, minus the very front two.

As I walked by Billy, I casually brushed my fingers over his bicep. He shuddered instinctively, and goosebumps rose on the flesh I touched. A smile spanned across my lips, and I sat down behind him.

"Hi Mark, Maggie." Billy said. We returned the hellos.

"What do you have for your thesis so far?" Billy asked, turning around as the plane lifted off. I dropped open my mouth so my ears wouldn't pop. He stuck his finger in my mouth, and I bit down, causing him to yelp.

"That's what you get. And pretty good, I brought my notebook, want to see what I have?"

"Sure."

I reached into my worn backpack and took out my blue notebook, passing it over the seat to Billy. He flipped through it, reading the underlined sentences, the highlighted facts and quotes before nodding.

"You will definitely get an 'A.'"

"Thanks." I said, feeling a blush creep up my cheeks. I ducked back down to put the notebook back.

"Even with what I pay you, couldn't you afford a better bag?" Dad asked. I looked over the seat to see Billy messing with his camera bag.

"No way. This is lucky. Couple years ago, a few buddies and I went hang gliding off these cliffs in New Zealand. Updraft swept me right into the side BAM!" He smacked his hand to empathize it.

"That does sound lucky." Dad said sarcastically. I smirked.

"This strap alone saved my life." He held up the main strap. "Got caught on a rock as I was falling."

"Reverse Darwinism. Survival of the most idiotic." Mark and I shared a look.

"Listen, Alan, I really appreciate you bringing me along." Billy said.

"The bones will still be there when we get back. That's the good thing about bones." He shot me a look. "They never run away." I squealed with laughter. "And besides," Dad leaned closer to Billy. "You got me into this. I don't intend to be on my own with these people."

I leaned back and rolled my eyes.

"Maggie?" Looking across the aisle, Mark held up a deck of cards.

"Poker?"

"Five card."

"Deal."

"Billy, wake me when we get there." Dad said, before leaning back in his seat and placing his hat over his eyes. Mark protested when Dad put his seat back, but Dad just gave him the look that said I-am-your-father-bow-down-to-me.

Mark squirmed a bit in his seat and I covered my mouth. He glared and shuffled the cards on his knee. I turned sideways in my seat, and Billy did the same, but he was addressing Cooper. His arm lightly touched my shoulder; I felt the warmth through my shirts.

"So how do you know the Kirbys?" Billy asked the large man. I focused on my cards as Mark dealt.

"Uh, through our church." I shot a look behind me at the large man with slicked back hair and sunglasses.

Most likely.

I looked at my cards, carefully giving two back to Mark. He dealt me two, and himself three.

"Double pair." Mark said, showing me his hand.

"Straight. Suck it."

"Damn you."

"Maggie you are good." Billy said. "Hope I never play you in poker." I smirked and nodded in the direction of Billy.

"Mark, deal him in." Mark smirked wickedly before shuffling some more, and Billy groaned.

We played poker and caught up the rest of the plane ride to Isla Sorna. I felt my excitement building, and I continuously glanced out the window, looking for the island.

Sooner than later I saw it; a green strip on the horizon. Poking Billy on the shoulder, I pointed towards the window, the island coming up mighty fast.

"Mark-"

"I see it."

"Alan." Billy looked to my dad, who was still snoozing. "Alan."

"Dad." With a start, Dad shook himself awake. I raised an eyebrow.

"Alan, we're almost there." Billy said, and Dad turned to look out of his window. The island was slightly obscured by clouds, but as we grew closer, the clouds trickled away, leaving us with bright green plant life staring back at us.

I felt the plane begin to drop in altitude and a smile grew on my face. Billy and Mark mirrored me.

"Admit it, you're excited." Billy said to Dad, who just shook his head and looked back out the window. I pinched Billy on the shoulder and nodded, causing him to laugh.

"We did it honey, we're here." Mr. Kirby said to his wife, grabbing her arm for a moment before they looked out their respective windows intently.

"Cooper, if you see anything, yell up!" Udesky called from the front of the plane.

"No, I thought I'd keep it to myself!" Cooper yelled back sarcastically, shaking his head and laughing. I giggled and looked out my window to see a whole heard of Braciosaurs.

"Now everyone if you look out the left side of the plane you can see a whole heard of Braciosaurs. And there's the alpha male grazing…" Dad trailed off, and I noticed the smile on his face, which I would bet anything was mirrored on mine.

"I'm so used to seeing bones. It's weird to see skin…" Billy murmured and I laughed, my own eyes glued outside at the dinosaurs.

_Dinosaurs_. In the SKIN. The way they ran from the airplane, running fluidly, none of them running into each other.

"This is fantastic." I said, and Mark nodded his agreement.

"Even though I don't really like dinosaurs, I have to agree on that one sis."

"Mrs. Kirby, if you look out there you see a triceratops-"

"Mr. Kirby there is a landing strip up ahead, want me to put her down?" Nash asked from the cockpit.

"No! No, I told you I want to circle the island then land." Mr. Kirby responded, but Dad was already peeved.

"You cannot land on this island!" Dad said, gripping his hat tightly as fear was gripping me.

I knew the stories.

Mark knew the stories.

I also knew the stories Ian Malcolm and Sarah had told me.

No. Way.

"We can't land! It is far to dangerous!" I said, raising my voice.

"Whoa, whoa just calm down." The Kirby's tried to reason with our family. Mark raised his own protests.

"Do you want to die?" He asked, malice clearly in his voice. Dad cursed under his breath, then stood, trying to make his way to the cockpit, but I felt and saw Cooper brush by me, punching Dad in the back of the head, causing him to fall to the floor.

"Dad!" Mark and I cried in sync.

"He'll be fine." Cooper growled, going towards the front of the plane, stepping between us and the Kirby's.

"Mark," He looked up at me from across Dad. Fear was in his eyes. "We are landing."

"I know Maggie."

"This is going to be one hell of a bad time." I whispered, looking up at Billy.

He knew that Dad had been on Isla Nubar. He knew how awful that had been, but he didn't know the half of it.

We were all going to die.


	2. Chapter 2

We were landed.

I was terrified.

Every noise that I heard made me jump.

And Mrs. Kirby was being a stupid bitch and yelling into a bullhorn that was aimed at the godforsaken JUNGLE.

"Billy, tell me we didn't land." Dad said quietly. Billy shared a glance with me.

"I think they are looking for somebody." He said quietly, and then silence descended over us. You could hear Mrs. Kirby clearly calling out the names Ben and Eric.

Silently, we helped Dad get up. He grabbed his hat, placing it firmly on his head, before going down the steps of the plane. Mark followed him and I looked at Billy.

"No matter what happens we will stay alive."

"I'll protect you Maggie. You are my life, I wouldn't live if anything happened to you." I smiled.

"Come on." We walked out of the plane to where Dad was standing with Mr. Kirby.

"What the hell are they doing?" Dad asked, pissed off. I looked around to see Udesky, Nash, and Cooper going around, very large guns in their hands.

"Establishing a perimeter, making it safe. These guys are the best-" Dad cut him off once again as one word ran through my head.

Mercenaries.

"Mr. Kirby on this island there is no such thing as safe! We have to get back on that plane," He paused as Mrs. Kirby yelled into the bullhorn very loudly. "Will you please tell your wife to stop making so much noise, it is a very bad idea!"

Mr. Kirby listened to that, and turned in the direction of his wife. "Amanda!"

"He would yell." Mark whispered. I smirked.

"Obviously."

"Amanda! Dr. Grant says it's a bad idea!"

"WHAT?"

"He says it's a bad idea!"

"What's a bad idea?" She yelled through the bullhorn.

As if on cue, a tremendous roar ripped through the brush, scaring me. I jumped, and thundering footsteps sounded.

"What was that?" Mr. Kirby asked.

"Tyrannasarus rex?" Billy asked.

"I don't think so, it sounds bigger." Dad killed the mood with that.

"Let's get the hell out of here." Mark said, sounding downright terrified.

Nash and Udesky came sprinting out of the jungle, running at the plane.

"We have to leave! We have to leave now!" Udesky yelled, and with haste, Nash ran onto the plane, no doubt to start her up.

"What about the other guy?" Billy asked as we climbed onto the plane.

"Cooper's a professional he can handle himself." Udesky answered. Mark and I looked at each other just in time for a closer, louder roar to echo, followed by multiple shots.

"Race you!" We yelled at the same time, darting over to the plane and literally jumping in our seats. I was slightly shaking, and as Billy sat down, he grabbed my shoulder for comfort.

Luckily no one noticed.

"Don't worry honey, we'll circle around and come back." I heard Mr. Kirby say to his wife.

Fat chance of that happening.

Udesky slammed the door shut behind me and I whirled around, scared shitless.

"We're going!" Nash yelled from the front, and Udesky raced in that direction as we started going way too fast. I could tell that Nash was obviously a little anxious to get out of here.

"That's Cooper!" I looked to where Dad was pointing and there was Cooper, with a limp, bloody arm, standing in front of the plane, waving his good arm wildly.

"Get out of the way. Get out of the way." I heard Nash grumble frantically.

"HOLY SHIT!" I screeched as a giant Spinosarus emerged from the jungle and raced after Cooper, biting around his torso. Nash let out a stream of curses, pulling up on the throttle really quickly, the windshield and windows getting sprayed with blood. Something jolted the plane, probably the dinosaur, and we changed direction.

Now we were going INTO the fucking jungle.

"Oh mother of God." Mark yelled, bracing himself on the seat in front of him.

Crunches of metal were heard all around, one wing snapping off, causing us to whirl around in one direction, then the other. Mrs. Kirby screamed as something dented the plane inward, hitting her square in the arm.

I was bouncing around in my seat, firmly gripping Billy's shoulders.

The plane came to a shuddering stop.

"Anyone hurt?" Billy asked. Everyone seemed fine, and I checked myself.

My butt was going to be bruised from all the bouncing in the seat I did but I'll be fine.

Nash started talking, and I assumed that it was into a radio.

"Dead."

"Quiet! Let's have everyone just stay put!" Udesky called, as Dad got up and went to the door, shoving it open.

He turned back to us, a strange look on his face.

"We haven't landed yet."

I sat back down, frozen.

I absolutely hate heights. They paralyze me.

"Shit." I looked around to where Nash was, trying to get someone on the satellite phone he had mooched off of Mr. Kirby.

Mrs. Kirby started screaming and I stood there, my eyes bulging out of my head as I saw the Spinosaurus's head looking in at us.

"What?"

"Spinosaurus was right there!" I said, even though it wasn't anymore.

The plane tipped before us, and I reached out, grabbing the first thing I could, which was the luggage holder.

Udesky and Nash screamed at the top of their lungs and suddenly the front end of the plane was gone.

"Don't fall out!" Billy said to me, a frantic tone to his voice. I gripped his shirt and the luggage holder as the plane started shifting. Mrs. Kirby slid down, trying to claw her way onto the seats. Udesky unbuckled and got farther into the plane, but as Nash turned around to do the same, the Spinosaurus reached in, grabbing his leg tight.

"Oh God." Mark moaned, grasping his seat a little tighter. Fear rippled in me, and I turned away, knowing that man was dead.

The Spinosaurus roared, and turned back towards the plane. We all went in the direction we figured would be best; the back of the plane.

I was placed between Dad and Mark, and of course, with our fate, the plane tilted, and we fell downwards.

I let out a hoarse yell as my stomach dropped as we did. With a shattering jolt, we landed, then fell onto our side. I groaned as a piece of metal dug into my ribcage.

"Oh well shit." I heard Mark groan as Spiny roared, and we saw him through the windows.

He grabbed the plane, flipping it over, and I slid down the side. Then we were spinning.

I let myself scream and groan as I continuously rolled then fell, caused by the evil force of gravity.

We hit something, probably a tree, and came to a stop, the seats above us, the ceiling under us.

"You okay Maggie?"

"Bumps and scratches! You?" I asked Mark.

"Same."

"Mrs. Kirby!"

"Amanda!" I looked up to see Dad wrestling Mrs. Kirby back into the plane.

As soon as they got inside, Spiny had reached the recently rolled plane. He pressed his foot down on it, and slowly started pressing.

My eyes grew wide as I looked up and saw the seats coming down.

"Duck!" I shrieked, pressing myself to the ground, only to be stabbed in the cheeks by shards of glass as the windows exploded.

Everyone let out little yelps as the glass cut into them.

The sound of tearing metal reached my ears, and I looked up in time to see the floor above me vanish.

"Maggie!" Dad yelled grabbing my arms and yanking me out of the way just as Spiny reached into the hole with his snout.

"Billy!" I reached behind me, motioning for him to come across. He skirt the plane, making it just in time. Mr. Kirby went, Spiny almost grabbing him.

"Mark hurry!" Dad said, and my twin rushed across the opening, and we waited until Udesky had done the same, before getting up and sprinting through the jungle.

"This way!" Dad yelled, and we followed him. I panted, silently thanking that I at least ran a few miles every day.

Dad lead us into a group of dense trees, and Spiny got lodged between two of them, roaring loudly in defeat as its prey got away.

We stopped for a moment, panting. I shot a look over to Billy, and saw that minus a few cuts he was no worse for wear.

"Let's keep moving." Dad said, still panting. We followed him, and as he pushed aside some bushes, we were met with the dead body of a Sauropod.

"It's okay it's dead." Dad said loud enough for us to hear.

"Well gee, I couldn't tell that because of the horrible odor eradiating from this beast." I said sarcastically. Mark shot me a grin.

With a gurgling grunt, the huge head of a T-Rex looked up at us from across the body. I instantly froze, but every muscle tensed.

"Nobody move a muscle." Dad said, freezing.

The tyrannosaurus opened its jaw and roared, looking straight at us. I heard everyone else take off and run.

"Shit." I cursed, running after them. Dad and Mark followed on my heels.

Apparently we were the only smart ones.

We ran back the way we came, and I heard Udesky let out a frightened yell, and I ran headlong into Billy's back. Peeking over his shoulder I saw Spiny staring down at us, but from behind came the Rex.

"Run!" I screeched, grabbing Billy and dragging him away.

"What?"

"Two predators in the same territory. Bad shit is going to go down!" I explained quickly, dragging him back into the safety of the trees.

I heard Dad yell in terror, and looked for him, spotting him lying between two logs on the ground…with Spiny's foot right above him.

"Dad!" Mark screamed, and I held him back.

"He's fine. Run!" The two dinosaurs came close to our spot, and we scattered off in the direction of the others.

My eyes were drawn to the fighting dinosaurs, how the T-Rex tried valiantly and failed to get a grip on Spiny's neck, and how easily the larger dinosaur grasped his head, snapping his neck.

Dad scrambled in our direction, grabbing my arm and pushing us forward as the T-Rex head landed right where we would have been standing if not propelled forward.

We raced through the trees, but I stopped for a moment, looking back and spying Spiny possessively placing his claws on the Rex's head, then tipping his head back and letting a roar rip through the jungle.

A hand grasped my shoulder and I deducted that with the familiar tingling feeling that it was Billy.

"Hurry up Mags."

With one last look behind me, I followed him towards the direction of the downed plane.

However, we never made it to the plane.

I saw Dad punch Mr. Kirby, causing him to fall against a tree.

"No, no, stop please." Mrs. Kirby asked, standing in front of Dad.

"You got some explaining to do Mr. Kirby." He said menacingly.

Mr. Kirby reached into his pocket, pulling out his wallet. He flipped through the pictures before landing on a specific one.

"This is Eric, our son. He was in a parasailing accident."

"You let a thirteen year old go parasailing alone?" Billy asked. I heard the incredulous tone hidden in his voice.

"No!"

"No, he was with a friend." The Kirbys said at the same time.

"We called everyone, we did everything we could. The U.S. Embassy, that's OUR U.S. Embassy said we should accept the inevitable, can you believe that?" Mr. Kirby stated, obviously a little outraged.

"Mr. Kirby, I almost did not let my grown children come along for fear something like this would happen. I put my trust in you, only for you to go back and endanger their lives."

Dad was pissed.

"We didn't think that it would be horrible if they came along, especially with our mercenaries."

"We prefer recovery specialists." Udesky said.

"Shut up Udesky." I growled in his direction, pointing at the arguing adults.

"So why me?"

"We needed someone who had been on the island before." Mr. Kirby said matter-of-factly.

"I have never been on this island." Dad almost whispered.

"Sure you have! You wrote that book."

"That was Isla Nubar, this is Isla Sorna. Site B." Billy interjected. I saw the way his jaw was set and knew he was fed up with the pointless arguing.

"You mean there are two islands with dinosaurs on them?" Udesky looked up at us, and the Kirbys simultaneously told him to shut up.

"You survived the dinosaurs before. You can still help us. You saved those kids." Mrs. Kirby interjected.

"Did you read the book at all?" I put in. "Almost everyone else he knew died!"

"Mags…" Dad trailed off, the warning tone meaning for me to shut up. "How long have they been missing?"

"Eight weeks. Almost eight weeks."

"Good Lord." Mark interjected. I looked at him, and sadness was echoed in our faces.

Dad turned around, looking at us three. "We salvage what we can from the plane, then we head for the coast. Its our best bet."

"Dr. Grant, we aren't leaving here without our son." Mr. Kirby said sternly. Almost like an aggravated teacher.

"Then you can go and look for him." Dad pointed at Mr. Kirby. "You can look at him, or you can stick with us. Either way, you're probably not getting out of here alive."

Dad turned away, towards the plane wreck. I reached out, grabbing Billy's hand for comfort as Mark walked next to Dad.

"That was comforting Dad." Mark grumbled. Billy released my hand when they turned around and looked at us.

"Listen to me. I have every intention of getting you three out of here alive. Especially you two. Promise me you will use your heads, and listen with your senses. Don't be fooled by this place."

"I promise." Mark and I said in sync. We shot a look at Billy.

"I promise." From his tone, I knew it was directed mainly at me.

* * *

"Where is my goddamn camera!" I mumbled, pissed off that I couldn't find it anywhere.

"Lose something sis?" Mark asked from where he was rummaging through his pack, trying to determine if anything was lost or broken.

"I can't find my camera!"

"Is this it?" I looked up to see Mr. Kirby with my small camera holder in his hand. He had an apologetic look on his face.

"Yeah, thanks." Shoving my camera case back into my backpack, I zipped it shut, making sure that little rain-tight flap was over it.

Don't want it to become unzipped in this neighborhood.

"Too fuckin' humid." I grumbled, unbuttoning my long sleeved shirt, exposing my dinosaur t-shirt.

"Nice shirt." Udesky commented.

"Was that sarcasm."

"Eh, a little." I cracked a smile and slung my backpack over my shoulders.

"Ready?" I faintly could hear the Kirby's talking on the other side of the plane. Billy was nearby, checking his camera by taking pictures of Spiny's footprints. I walked over to where he was crouched with Dad right next to him.

"Baryonx."

"No." Dad held up the tooth and I broke in.

"Really, Billy. That was a Spinosaurus Aegyptiacus. As a matter of fact I gave Charlie my Spino toy this morning."

"Was it really only this morning?" Dad asked, sounding as if he was talking mainly to himself.

"I know. Seems like we have been gone for a decade."

"Or ten years." Mark said, coming up behind us.

"That is a decade dumbass." I said.

"Language Maggie." Dad warned.

"Sorry."

"You guys can be awfully entertaining even in the gravest of circumstances." Billy said while laughing.

"Well," I pretended as if I had swappable suspenders. "That's what we are here for." He laughed at that, and I smiled at him. Mark cracked up too, but Dad barely cracked a smile.

"Something's not right with those people."

That changed the mood rather abruptly.

"You mean…What now?" Mark questioned, thoroughly confused as I was.

"They are lying." Billy quietly said as he and Dad stood.

"Mr. Kirby, there is no Kirby Enterprises is there?"

Ah, come again?

"Well, it's Kirby Paint and Tile Plus. The plus stands for bathroom fixtures."

"Great. So what about that check you wrote us?"

"Hold on!" Mr. Kirby obviously balked. "I'll pay you back, even if it takes me my whole life…"

"Fantastic." Dad grumbled.

"Come on, we best get moving before Ol' Spiny comes back." I called to everyone. We followed after Dad.

And the whole stinking way the Kirbys bickered.

What fun that was.


	3. Chapter 3

We were walking for some time when we stumbled upon bright orange.

"Why do I see a bright orange smudge in the middle of this too-green forest?" Mark asked.

"Because it is not natural. Come on." Mr. Kirby said, running over to the orange.

"It's a parasail."

"No shit Sherlock."

"Can you fly that?" Dad asked Billy. He looked sheepish for a moment.

"Maybe. If there's no rips in it."

"Well, let's take it anyway. If we see a plane it might come in handy."

I walked over to help the guys pull the parasail down from the tree. I noticed that it said in big, bold letters DINO-SOAR.

Must have been the one Eric was using.

"Hey, I found something!" We all paused and looked over at Udesky, who was holding a camcorder.

"That's my camera." Mrs. Kirby said, taking it from him and trying to turn it on. "Battery's dead."

"Here." Udesky grabbed a flashlight from his pack and emptied the batteries in his hand, then put them in the camcorder.

Flicking it on, the Kirbys and Dad watched the film. I heard the noise, but was to preoccupied with watching our surroundings.

Don't really want to be snuck up upon by a hungry dinosaur.

"He's alive. I know it! He's alive!" Mr. Kirby said quickly.

"Come help me with this." Dad said, walking over to the parasail once more. Mark and I helped, tugging it down slowly.

There were snapping branches as we tugged, and then something came swinging down. It stunk and had flies buzzing around it, and it whacked Mrs. Kirby right in the face.

It was a skeleton.

She screamed, high pitched, and I felt disgust well in me, but I reached over and helped tug the skeleton down from the tree. Dad bat at the flies surrounding it.

Mrs. Kirby shook herself and was obviously a little freaked out by it, for she ran off into the jungle.

"Go after her Mr. Kirby!" I said, pushing him in her direction. He obliged.

"This is one hell of a vacation." Mark grumbled as we helped Billy and Dad fold the parasail, this time with Udesky watching the jungle around us.

"Who's bag has enough space?" Dad asked. I shook my head.

"Full."

"Me too. Didn't think I would need my large pack." Mark said.

"I have some room." Billy said, taking the neatly folded up parasail. I watched intently as he placed it in his bag in a way that he could pull the cord and have it come snapping out.

"Dr. Grant! You should come look at this!" Mr. Kirby's voice echoed through the jungle and I winced.

"I swear to God, if any of these people attract a goddamn dinosaur I am going to have a hissy fit."

"That will be a sight to see." Billy said, and I smacked his chest. He grinned and squeezed my shoulder as he walked by me, the simple touch comforting.

"Holy mother of all who is holy." I heard Mark curse up ahead. I grabbed Billy's hand and we jogged after them, the weight of our packs making it a little awkward.

I swear, if my eyes had bugged out any farther, they would have fallen out of my eye sockets.

We were surrounded by nests, circles of them.

"Raptor." I whispered and Billy looked at me.

"How can you be sure?"

I shot him a look he knew all too well. "Because this is what the layout of fossilized raptor nests look like."

Reaching into my backpack, I grabbed my camera and took a few quick shots. Billy reached to do the same, but I put a hand on his arm.

"I'll send them to you. We best leave with the others or we will definitely get in trouble." I whispered. He nodded, and I slung my bag back around my shoulders.

"Don't you think we could take one back?" he whispered to me. We were taking up the rear of the group. I halted, grabbing his bicep.

"Are you kidding? Do you really want ferocious, intelligent, DANGEROUS, dinosaurs lurking the U.S.? Didn't think so. Don't be stupid Billy."

He looked taken aback but nodded. "Sorry. Just wanted more money for the dig."

I sighed, knowing full well how close the dig crew and site we were with was running low on money.

"Once I get out of college we will figure out what to do. Now come on." I grabbed his hand, grateful for the touch, and we ran to where the others were.

"What the hell?" I heard Udesky say from up ahead. I furrowed my brow, and once the trees cleared away, I could see it.

It was an abandoned InGen compound.

Trucks lay on their sides, battered. Some Jeeps were still standing, but the broken glass in their windows told a different story.

"I bet Eric's in there. I bet my bottom dollar!" Mr. Kirby said, a little more energized. He jogged down the slight hill, and we followed, cautiously.

"Nice place for an ambush." I whispered to Dad, who nodded.

"Keep a sharp eye out for compies and raptors Mags."

"No doubt about that." I murmured.

Dad walked over to one of the closer vehicles and peered inside.

"Nothing of use."

We continued our walk. I winced at the sight of the stairs.

I was definitely going to be sore in the morning.

Trudging through the doors, the scene before us was horrific. Everything was in the process of being reclaimed by the jungle. Vines were creeping in from the windows.

"Eric!" Mr. Kirby cried, and Mrs. Kirby shushed him. I smirked.

She learned her lesson.

Then my eyes zeroed in on the phone sitting on the counter. Mark looked at me, then followed my gaze.

"What the hell." Mrs. Kirby said, walking over. She picked up the receiver and my breath caught. She removed it from her ear and placed it down, an indication that there was no power.

Damnit.

"There is no hope in this place." Mark whispered in my ear. I nodded.

"I know."

We followed Dad through the compound. My senses were still on high alert, listening for anything that didn't come from us.

"Hey look!" Mark said, pointing ahead.

There.

Vending machines.

"Anyone got any change? I got, I got a buck ten-" Mr. Kirby said, looking through his pocket. I watched, humored, as Billy stepped back a few steps, before whirling his heel at the vending machine Mr. Kirby wasn't in front of. The glass shattered and he took out a few candy bars and chips, handing them out to people. I walked by him, and he thrust a Snickers and a bag of barbecue chips in my hands.

"They're your favorite." He said quietly. I smiled and thanked him before looking at the other machine.

Water.

"Wait guys. There's water in this one." Everyone stopped.

Thank God it was just a glass covered machine instead of those ones that are all plastic and you push the big button for a drink.

Stepping back, I preformed a roundhouse kick I learned from my kickboxing class I sometimes took. The glass on this one shattered, and I felt it through me.

Reaching in, Billy and I distributed water to everyone.

Pulling open the bag of chips, I ate quickly, not wasting a crumb. I did the same with the Snickers, then popped open my water and quickly sipped it.

"You are a methodical eater." Udesky said, looking at me. I shrugged.

"When you grow up with a brother who has sticky fingers you always eat everything quickly. Plus I'm usually busy and don't have time to sit and eat."

We walked down the stairs. It was obviously some sort of lab we were walking into. There were broken shells all over the place, the equipment was trashed and moldy, all the glass was broken…

There were even tanks filled with dead dinosaur fetuses. I cringed at how horrible this was.

Yes, I love dinosaurs, but this is just strange.

"This is how you make dinosaurs?" Mrs. Kirby asked from behind.

"No, this is how you play God." Dad whispered back.

I reached into my bag and pulled out my camera. I heard Billy do the same.

"Send me these pictures." Mark demanded from my right.

"Definitely." I whispered back, snapping pictures of everything in sight. I was wary enough to put the strap around my neck, just in case. I saw Billy do the same.

Mrs. Kirby let out a terrified yell at the same time that growls and snarls reached my ears. I looked up, stunned, and saw none other than a full grown raptor trying to get at her through the tanks.

"Amanda!" Mr. Kirby shouted, at the same time I screamed.

"RUN!"

We raced through the lab. Adrenaline coursed through me, my camera forgotten around my neck. Mr. Kirby was farthest ahead, and he turned down two hallways.

"This way!" It was the only place that didn't look like it lead outside, so we followed him only to be met with the sight of a dead end and empty dinosaur holding cages.

The raptor had caught up, and it slid to a halt in front of the hallway, growling.

"This one!"

"In here!"

We got split up. Mrs. Kirby and Billy were right behind me, while the other men went into a different cage, locking their door.

We tried to close it, but didn't reach the lock in time. The raptor slammed into our door, and my body shook at the impact, jarring my teeth. Then it started advancing, and the door shut us into the corner.

"Hey! Hey! Over here!"

The others were calling at the raptor. Mrs. Kirby's hip was digging into my leg rather uncomfortably, and Billy's camera was right in my side.

We struggled, and I grunted, trying to push the door, but the raptor was relentless.

Then it stopped growling and snapping at us and looked up.

I followed the predator's gaze and realized that it was going to try and climb its way in.

"We will get out of this Mags." Billy said, and I nodded.

"PUSH!" Me and Mrs. Kirby shouted at the same time, as the raptor clung to the door. We pushed, and I strained my muscles, feeling pain blossom in my left arm, but I ignored it.

We slammed the door on the raptor, locking it in place.

It cackled, sounding like it needed help.

But I didn't care.

Grabbing Billy's hand, I raced down the hallway, following Udesky and Mrs. Kirby and Mark.

I ran from the compound, but as we entered the trees, I heard the raptor start calling, rather loudly.

Shot fear into me, and I sped up, Billy's grip on my hand tightening.

Our group ended up in a clearing full of grazing Corythosauruses.

"Into the heard!" Dad shouted and we all raced into them, startling the dinosaurs.

"Don't get trampled!" Mark shouted.

It was horrible.

I lost my grip on Billy's hand, and I fell more than once. The dinosaurs blazing by were no help at all. And considering I knew that the raptors were behind us, it did nothing but make me more scared.

"Head for the trees!" Dad shouted, and we all changed course as best we could, rushing into the trees. I was still near Billy, and we crashed into the trees together. I sent up a quick prayer that Mark was with the Kirbys.

"Come here Mags." Billy whispered, clenching my hand tightly. I squeezed back just as hard, terrified.

We raced through the forest, but then Billy stopped short and pulled me against him behind a tree.

"Raptor." he mouthed and my breath caught in my throat.

I looked to the other side of the tree. The raptor ran by, oblivious that we were there.

"We need to get up. Help me."

Billy and I climbed into the tree.

"Maggie don't look down." Billy cautioned, knowing how much heights petrified me.

"No chance of that happening."

"I'm right here." He responded, giving me a soft smile.

He kept a tight grip on my hand while we were in the tree. I forced myself not to look down.

A scream ripped through the air, and I froze, Billy doing the same.

"Udesky." We whispered in sync.

"Shit."

"MRS. KIRBY!" Billy yelled as we clambered from tree to tree.

"BILLY!" Mr. Kirby called back.

"Is Alan with you?" Billy asked once we got closer to their yells.

"No. But Udesky's nearby."

"Let's go find him and see if we can help." I said, this time pulling Billy along in the direction of the screams.

Soon enough, we had reached a small clearing. I looked down and felt my body freeze, but Udesky was there, lying face down, looking dead for all the world.

"He's dead." Billy said solemnly. I squeezed his hand again. Then Udesky started _moving_. He tried to prop himself up with his elbows.

"Oh my God, no he's not." Mrs. Kirby said, starting to climb down the tree.

"Wait!"

"Something's not right!"

"Hold up!"

The other three of us all spoke at once. She stopped for a second and looked back up at us, but the branch she had climbed down to snapped, and she fell through the air, screaming.

"Amanda!" Mr. Kirby cried, and we scrambled down to help her just as the two Velociraptors came into view, jumping up and down and trying to snap at Mrs. Kirby.

"Hang on!" I yelled, still too terrified to move. The men reached down and helped her up. She was panting, her face a bright red.

The raptors backed up, obviously pissed that they didn't get what they wanted.

"They set a trap." Billy looked at me, shock in his handsome features. "They actually set a trap."

"This just keeps getting better and better." I mumbled, then winced as one of the raptors bent down and tore Udesky's head right off.

"That's revolting." I gagged, looking away. Mrs. Kirby had done the same, burying her head in Mr. Kirby's shoulder.

"It's not that bad. But we still need to find Alan."

"You're right. And Mark."

"Jesus, they are both missing?"

"Yeah." I nodded, gritting my teeth as sadness and dread welled up in me.

"Hey," Billy reached up to me, cradling my cut up cheek gently. "It'll be okay."

"So what do you think we should do?" Mrs. Kirby asked, a little more than shaken.

I looked over at Billy. "Stay here for the night. It's getting dark, and I highly doubt it's any safer at night than it is during the day."

"Then in the morning we will head for the coast."

"And leave Dr. Grant behind?" Mr. Kirby asked, incredulous.

"Going to the coast was Alan's idea, if he's alive that's where they will be heading."

"They?"

"My brother. You know, the quiet one?"

"I thought…"

"He's my twin brother Mrs. Kirby."

"Sorry."

I sighed. "There's nothing to apologize for. He doesn't make much of an impression really. Never has."

"Can we get up a little higher and continue this conversation there?" Mr. Kirby asked. "I don't feel comfortable this close to the ground. Hell, if that big thing comes back we are dead."

I smiled at that. "He won't come in here. Too close to the compound and the raptors. But we probably should get up higher for the night anyway. Won't be as cold."

Considering I was the highest up, I had to find a suitable place for the four of us to stretch out.

"We are going to just take different branches, okay? Don't fall out."

Billy climbed into the V made by two thick branches, the same space I was curled in.

Mr. and Mrs. Kirby went into a little hollow in the tree. We were near the top, so they nestled in where the top branches expanded from. Billy wordlessly handed them a lantern he had found and switched it on, illuminating us.

After it got dark, the Kirbys started talking in hushed tones with each other. I looked at Billy.

"This is hell."

"It's better that I know you are safe. Yes, I really like your dad and Mark, but I'd rather you be safe and alive."

"I know. I just…Do you think I would be able to tell if something happened to Mark?"

Billy cocked his head. "Probably. I've heard that most twins usually have at least some type of connection."

I grit my teeth, trying not to think about it. Then I grimaced.

"What if Dad finds out about us." I turned to look at Billy. "What do you think he will do?"

"God, I don't know. Blow up, fire me, fire you. Something. But listen to me Mags." I looked him in the eye. "Whatever happens here, know I love you, and I always will."

A smile crept onto my face. "You know I love you. I have for the past year and a half, and nothing that happens here would change that."

"So you two are an item?" Mr. Kirby asked awkwardly. I jumped, startled at his interruption. Billy looked at me and shrugged as if to say 'no use to lying now.'

"Yes, but Mark and my dad don't know. They may like Billy, but they both have this thing against me ever finding someone I want to spend the rest of my life with. I think it has to do with the fact that my dad still thinks of me as a child, a little girl, and also comes from his past. He wasn't so great at relationships and even the one he has with Mom had been quite rocky."

"That reminds me of us Paul." Mrs. Kirby said, a smile on her face. She turned to us to explain.

"When we first became a couple we had to keep it a secret. His parents didn't want him dating anyone until he was out of school and successful. Mine just didn't like me dating, period. One day his parents found out, and then the whole world found out."

I laughed. "Sounds like college to me."

Billy smiled at me. "We should get some rest."

"Wait," I looked over at Mr. Kirby. He sighed. "I would like…I would like to apologize for everything. Didn't think this would happen. I'm sorry, to both of you."

"Thanks Mr. Kirby."

"Okay, we should really get some sleep now. All of us." Billy said.

"Anyone going to stay up?"

I thought for a moment. "I think we are high up enough that we can all sleep. Nothing should bother us, and if anything does, we will wake up as soon as we hear anything."

"Thank God. Okay, goodnight." Mrs. Kirby said, before rolling onto her back and shutting her eyes.

Billy and I looked at each other, and he leaned back and opened his arms. I slipped my backpack off and placed it by Mrs. Kirby's feet. Climbing into his arms, I buried my head in his chest and drifted off into a restless sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning we shook ourselves awake and packed for the long day ahead.

Descending from the tree wasn't all that bad. I had experience jumping from too-high perches before, so I made my way as far down as I could go.

"I'll go down first."

"Mags, no." Billy said, gently grasping my upper arm. Turning my eyes towards him, I smiled.

"I won't get eaten."

Lightly, I let myself fall from the ten foot high branch. My ankle bones were jarred on impact, but it wasn't the worst thing I had ever experienced. With a quick look around, I waved my hand, motioning for the others to come.

"Let's get to the coast." Billy said, reminding us of the plan. The Kirbys nodded, and we set off.

What seemed to be hours later, we stopped at a small stream, getting some water while Mr. Kirby took a piss.

We walked more, and right when I was about to drop from exhaustion, the Kirbys stopped behind us, listening.

"Sh! Listen."

"Mom! Dad!" We faintly heard the yells of a boyish voice.

"That's Eric!"

"ERIC!"

"ERIC!" Both of them yelled, and we shot off running in the direction of his yells.

We were led to a huge meadow, with unfortunately a huge fence in the middle. Relief whirled through me as I saw Mark and Dad running behind a boy who must have been Eric.

I raced to the fence, leaving Billy behind, and ducked under it, hugging Mark.

"Don't ever run away from me again you dumbass!" I whispered in his ear, hugging him as tight as I could with a fence between us.

"You are the one who ran away from me! But I love you Mags."

"I love you too Mark. Dad!" I yelled, as Mark left me, motioning through the fence for Dad to come over. He smiled and obliged, wrapping his arms around me.

"I love you Maggie."

"I love you too Dad."

I let go and slipped back through to the other side of the fence.

"How'd you know we were here?" I heard Mr. Kirby ask Eric.

"That stupid jingle from the store, the one that's on your phone! I heard it!"

"You have a phone?" Billy asked, a little mad.

"No, not on me, I had it on the plane and…" Mr. Kirby trailed off, a scared look shadowing his face.

"What?" Mrs. Kirby asked.

"I loaned it to Nash. He must have had it when he…"

Then I heard it.

Ringing.

I looked over Dad and Mark's shoulder, and felt Billy reach for my hand. I slowly shrugged out of my backpack and felt him take it.

"Run." I faintly heard Dad say, and a split second before the boys ran on their side, I was running on ours, looking for a way through. Then I found one.

It must have been a way to feed Spiny through.

"Here!" I yelled, and I yanked them through, one after the other, right before Spiny stuck his nose through and tried to get at me. I yelped and dove backwards, into Billy's arms, which he kept around me even after the dinosaur turned away.

I looked up and saw Mark's eyes on me, an accusing look on them. He opened his mouth to start to say something, but Spiny saved my ass by deciding to bust through the fence.

We all sprang backwards, running towards a squat metal building. Once inside, I stepped back, letting Mr. Kirby and Dad slam the deadbolt on the door.

Spiny started pounding relentlessly, but after a few moments gave up with an earth-shattering roar.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I unconsciously leaned into Billy, and he wrapped a strong arm around my waist.

"Maggie Grant are you kidding me?" I opened my eyes to see Mark staring me down.

"What?"

He motioned towards Billy. "You sure as hell know what."

"You little bitch." I growled, pushing myself away from Billy and getting in Mark's face. He is the same height as I am, so our stare down didn't really work.

"Calm down you two. What's the matter?" Dad asked, stepping between us like he did every time we fought.

"Don't you dare say it you little tattler." I growled again.

"Dad, Maggie has been seeing Billy for a year and a half behind our backs." Mark hissed, his glare fully at me.

"Maggie." Dad turned to me, holding my arms. "What?"

"You prick." I spat in Mark's direction. "How the fuck did you find out?" He held up my notebook.

"Found it when we were on the compound. Must have fallen out of your bag when you took our your camera." He said, menace in his tone.

The Kirbys were watching with interest, and Billy was leaning on the windowsill, looking out at the river.

"Maggie Elizabeth Grant, is this true?" Dad asked. I looked him dead in the eye.

"Yes." I whispered.

He let go of my arms and walked towards the staircase, putting one hand on it.

"Billy, you are taking advantage of her-" Dad started to say, but Billy jumped in at the same time I did.

"He's not taking advantage of me!"

"I love her!"

"Do you now?" Dad said, turning around. "Because otherwise you two would not have been stupid enough to keep it hidden!"

"Um Dr. Grant. May I say something?" Mr. Kirby said. Dad took a deep breath and nodded. "These two really do love each other. I saw it last night when we were all in a tree together."

"Listen to me Maggie, there are-"

"Don't even say it Dad. I couldn't tell you because of this. This shit would happen!"

Dad grit his teeth.

"Alan, listen to me." Billy said quietly, coming up behind me and placing his hands on my hips. "I would never hurt Maggie. I love her more than my own life. She is my everything. I would be lost without her. I ask that you forgive us, and that you don't hate us too much."

"This is the absolute lowest thing either of you has done." Dad said so quietly that only we could hear him. I opened my mouth to say something but he turned away and walked down the stairs. The Kirbys followed, after Mrs. Kirby placed her hand on my shoulder.

"It'll work out."

"I hope it does." I whispered back.

Mark hung back as the others walked down the stairs. Billy's face was pressed into my neck, and I felt how tightly his fingers were gripping my hips.

"I'm sorry. I like you a lot Billy. And I love you Mags. Just pissed that you hid it for so long."

"You know why I had to." I bit back, still furious with him. "Couldn't you have waited for a better time to spill the beans?"

"Not with the way you two were making googly eyes at each other and making me all pissy."

"We best get going." I said, bringing the conversation to an abrupt halt. Gently disentangling myself from Billy, I wound my fingers with his, walking down the stairs.

"This isn't creepy or ominous at all." Mark grumbled. Fog wound its way tightly around us. The only direction we could see in was down, in the direction of the river. A ways down was a barge, which I instinctively knew is what Dad was going towards.

"Too high." I said, the panicky feeling settling in as I realized how dangerous this was and how high up we were. I gripped Billy. "Too damn high."

"It's alright Mags. I won't let you fall."

I shot him a tight-lipped smile, continuing after Dad. He started down a staircase, only to have it break off.

Jumping forward, my heart was in my throat, and I sighed in relief when I saw Mr. Kirby grab him and pull him back up.

The steady clanking of metal against rock went on for some time before it crashed into the river. Mr. Kirby whistled.

"How bout this way?" Dad said, motioning towards a long, narrow bridge that looked like it had seen better days.

It disappeared off into the fog, and I could not even try to make out the other end.

He walked onto it, and Mrs. Kirby followed, but the bridge creaked loudly and looked as if it slightly tilted. Fear made me freeze; there was no way I could make it across that, across a GORGE, alone.

"Let's do this one at a time, shall we?"

Dad carefully walked down the bridge, keeping his hands out to the sides in case he needed to grab it. His body vanished into the fog.

My breath started coming heavier, little gasps. I couldn't do it.

"Mags, it's alright." Billy whispered in my ear, letting go of my hand and gripping me tight from behind.

"I can't, I can't!" I whispered hysterically.

"You have to. I'll be right behind you. I promise."

"Okay, come on over! One at a time!" Dad yelled, his voice sounding strangely distant.

It terrified me.

Mrs. Kirby was next in line. She bent down to Eric and talked to him for a moment, before he rebutted her attempts to baby him. I smirked, and then she quickly strode across the catwalk, more confident in going after Dad had.

"Okay Eric!" She yelled. Mr. Kirby gently let go of his son's shirt, and Eric walked across, hugging one side of the catwalk, for his arms were too short and didn't reach all the way across.

After we waited, with bated breath, I heard something.

"Sh! Listen." there was a lot more creaking on the catwalk then there should have been for a 13 year old boy.

Then, startling all of us, Eric yelled in terror.

"Eric!" Mr. Kirby said, running down the bridge. Mark and Billy made to go after him but I held my arm out.

"It won't hold with all of us!"

"I don't care!" Mark said, pushing by, only for us to see Eric running in our direction…with a Pteranodon flying after him.

"Eric! Duck!" I shouted, hoping he would heed my advice. "DUCK!" I screamed, and he hit the deck, rolling out of the way just in time, the Pteranodon's claws catching his hair.

"Eric!" Mr. Kirby yelled again, and Eric stood up, only to have the Pteranodon swoop in and grab him. He screamed in pain as the claws dug into his skin, and he was carried away.

"Don't lose him!" Mark yelled, and we backed up, running in the direction the huge dinosaur was taking him.

Dad and Mrs. Kirby jumped in behind us, having ran from their side.

"I can't see him, I can't see him!" She shouted as we ran at all different paces.

"Mags!" Billy stopped me short; we were ahead of everyone else. "I can get him."

"What?" Then realization bubbled in me.

The parasail.

"No! Billy no!"

"I have to. It's the only way."

"No! Billy! No!"

"Maggie I love you so much." He said, giving me a hard kiss, before backing up and running, strapping his backpack on.

"Mags?" Dad stopped, then followed my gaze, seeing Billy get close to the edge. His eyes widened.

"Billy! Billy stop!" He ran up after him, but I was still. I couldn't move. Petrified.

"Billy stop! Billy, DON'T BILLY!" But Billy did. He jumped, falling towards the gorge, my heart in my throat, he pulled the cords and the parasail ripped out of his bag.

"Maggie come on." Mrs. Kirby said, grabbing my wrist and pulling me along. I shook my head to wake myself up from the stupor and ran in the direction of Billy.

In the direction of my heart.

"I see him!" Mr. Kirby shouted, and I sped up, pounding past Mrs. Kirby and Dad and hell, even Mark.

"Hang on Eric!" I shouted, hoping he could hear me.

Then I saw them.

Billy tried to swoop in close to Eric, but was too high. He came around for another try as Eric jumped from stone to stone, and on the last one took a leap of faith, jumping onto Billy.

They flew for a few seconds, but more Pteranodons came in, shredding the parasail.

_It can't fly with tears and holes in it. Shit. _

We had reached the end of the catwalks. There was open space in front of all of us, and we were all crammed in the tiny space.

"I can jump it." I said, and backed up, as if to get a running start, but then the mother Pteranodon shot up, causing us to jump back.

"Go back!" I said, backing up. We turned tail and ran in the other direction, but she landed on a weakened portion of the roof, and it collapsed, allowing her in.

She hissed, growing closer. I could see the small, razor-like teeth in her beak. Rage ripped through me, rage at everything. I let her get closer before whipping my leg out and catching her in the side, again and again, before Dad's fingers closed around me, pulling me back.

Then I heard the sound of metal grinding, and the world dropped from below me. Screaming, I fell into the water along with the other four, surfacing quickly to see the pteranodon get trapped below the falling catwalk.

How lucky for us.

"Eric!" Mrs. Kirby cried. I spied him just a little further down the bank, and I swam over to him, my sopping clothes making it difficult.

"There! He's across the river!" My eyes shot up quickly, and then my heart plummeted as I saw Billy hanging over the river.

"Billy!" I shouted. I couldn't tell from here, but I swore he looked right at me.

I watched him as he unbuckled his backpack, landing with a thud in the river.

"Billy!" I shouted at the same time as Dad, both of us running towards him sluggishly. My stomach clenched when a pteranodon dive bombed him, and when another actually picked him up before he fell, a cry slipped from my lips.

"No."

The pteranodons kept coming, kept bombing him.

"Go! Get back! Stay alive!" He screamed, and I knew the last one was for me.

I knew it was.

"Billy…Billy! BILLY!" I screamed, not believing what I was seeing, as he was pelted by the dinosaurs.

"No…" I ran down the river, fighting against the hands that tried to keep me back. I fought, trying to take off my shirt in order to get to him.

"Maggie!"

"No!"

Tears welled in my eyes. "Billy…"

"He's gone! Now we have to move sis! Otherwise we are dead!" As he said that, my gaze was pulled over his shoulder, in the direction of the turn where I had lost sight of _him. _When my heart was ripped from my chest.

But then a lone pteranodon turned its head, staring at us.

Fearlessness ripped through me, but Mark grabbed me gently and pulled me away. We dove into the water, and swam under the fence, right as the dinosaur launched itself at the fence, hoping to follow us.

Mark helped me on the boat, and I dropped like a stone, sitting where I had been standing.

_There is nothing worth living for anymore. _


	5. Chapter 5

**ALAN POV**

After we managed to get the boat started, I sat down in the back, next to Eric. Maggie was in the front of the boat.

I couldn't look at her.

It killed me on the inside. She looked empty, lifeless.

"You were wrong Dad." Mark said, sitting down next to me. I looked at him.

"I know. I feel like this is my fault."

"It isn't. He is the only one who would have been able to save Eric-"

"I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about it's my fault that they had to hide it. If I hadn't been so adamant about her not dating and being worried and overprotective, they would have been able to be happy in the open. God, how many times have they been together with me?"

"Many times dad."

"How'd you find out?"

Mark shifted beside me. "Well, her notebook helped. But I knew something was up once she stopped talking to me about her life as much, mostly around the time she met Billy."

"I really screwed things up didn't I?"

"We both did. I tried to apologize. You gotta now."

"I can't look at her. She's dead on the inside."

"You ever feel like that before Dad?"

"Yes. But not until I was older than you two. She doesn't deserve this."

"She will never let this go Dad. What they had wasn't a stupid fling. It was true. It was real. It was what they wanted since they met."

I sighed, my heart breaking for my daughter. "How you know that?"

Mark shifted again, looking uncomfortable. I leaned forward, looking at him.

"You know the rumors and facts that twins can sometimes sense more of their twin than other people can? Almost like emotion reading in a sense? And how they can tell if they hurt if their bond is that strong?"

"Yes, why?"

"She's hurting. She's really hurting…" He trailed off, and I stood slowly. "What you doing?"

"Got to talk to her." I mumbled, carefully walking around the barge to the front, where Maggie was sitting. Her backpack was next to her, Billy's camera bag on her other side. She was sitting Indian style, looking at the far bank.

"Mags?" She turned her head slightly, acknowledging me. I walked over, gently picking up her bag and setting it by Billy's camera bag, sitting next to her.

"What you looking at?"

"The bank. Looking for life. I haven't seen anything for some time now."

"Maggie, look at me." I said softly. She turned her gaze to look at me. I felt myself sink at the look in her eyes.

There was no life in them. I reached over, grabbing her hand.

"You don't deserve this, or what I said to you. Neither did Billy. He was a good kid, a really good kid. High spirited, but always was thinking ahead, and of others. I'm sorry. I'm sorry that this happened. I'm sorry that I discouraged you from telling me, otherwise you two could have been happy-"

"Will you stop talking in past tense!" She tensely said. She glared at me. "He isn't gone."

"Maggie…you know…" I trailed off when she looked away, back towards the bank.

"I know. I just won't believe it." She whispered quietly, taking her hand back.

"Mags-" I wouldn't give up. But she stopped me.

"Dad, I love you. But I loved him with my whole being. I'm never going to be able to let go." She looked down into her lap, and then I noticed the camera sitting between her legs.

I recognized it immediately. It was Billy's, and I knew that because hers was not black; it was covered in color from her growing Sharpie collection.

"What's this?" I asked, reaching over slowly. She relinquished her grip on the camera, and I pulled it over. On the screen was a picture of her and Billy.

They were at the dig site, probably on a day we had off. There were multiple snapshots, all from a certain height.

My guess is they used a timer to take these pictures.

The first few they were just being funny, making faces, having fun. Then towards the end of the photos, they got closer. The last one, they were kissing, softly.

"Ellie…"

Made me think of her, and when we were like that.

The rest of the pictures were of the dig site, of the dinosaurs, a few of us, a few of Maggie that she obviously didn't know were taken.

Giving her back the camera, she took it silently, flipping through the pictures.

I sighed, stood up, and walked back to Eric and Mark in silence.

**MAGGIE POV**

I wouldn't accept it.

Not ever.

Billy Brennan was not dead.

I would know it.

I feel empty, but not in the way I know everyone thinks.

They have no hope, I have a smidge.

He could still be alive.

My heart refuses to listen to my brain, but my brain controls my body, controls how I react.

"Dr. Grant. Look." I heard Eric say, and I felt my gaze go up. My heart lifted a bit at the sight before us.

A valley filled with dinosaurs, ranging from Ankylosaruses to Brachiosaruses. They walked over to the barge, curious, and the long-necked dinosaurs looked down over us, making their grunting noises. I felt myself smile, despite everything.

Even sometimes there can be happiness in dreadful sorrow.

* * *

It was late that night that I finally drew myself back from my memories, putting the camera away.

That camera had many pictures on it, but the first two thirds were all of me and him. He never deleted them off of his camera.

I asked him about it one time.

He said that he loved opening his pictures and seeing my beautiful face first and last.

My head snapped up as in the silent night the piercing ringing of the satellite phone that Spiny had eaten reached my ears.

I was standing up in a flash, staring in the direction I heard it. I knew everyone else was just as tense and waiting. I felt the barge slow.

The music grew louder, and I bated my breath as we went around the bend and the music reached the crescendo just as a horrid stink reached my nose.

"Those are some big piles of shit." I said. Dad stopped the barge and jumped off.

"Find it before it stops ringing! Dad cried, jumping off.

"Eric stay on the boat!" Mrs. Kirby yelled as they leapt off.

I shivered at the thought of sticking my hands in dino shit and almost gagged at the smell and thought combined. Mark was brave enough to jump off too.

"I got it! I got it!" Mr. Kirby shouted after a few tense moments. Dad snatched it from his hands and wiped some crap off of the phone and shoved it against his ear.

"Do you hear that?" Eric asked, and I listened quickly, hearing some growling in the background. Then strode in a Carnataur.

"Look out!" Eric and I shouted at the same time.

The four in the shit looked up and froze. My heart beat quickly.

This dinosaur was smaller for a carnivore, but it still packed a punch, and really could with that small horn on its nose.

It took a deep breath and then walked around, growling softly.

"I guess it doesn't like poop." Mark said, and I cracked a smile.

"Get back up here you guys." I said, shaking my head.

"Oh gross you smell awful." Eric groaned.

"Like after eight weeks you smell any better." Mr. Kirby said, smiling. He walked over to Eric like to give him a high five, and Eric shied away quickly.

"At least he doesn't smell like doodoo." Mark said, and I smiled at his elementary word use.

"You can say shit ya know, you shithead." I said. He stuck his tongue out at me. "How mature."

"You know it is."

The thunder that we had been hearing earlier suddenly crashed over us, the lightning illuminating everything the moon didn't. I jumped, scared silly, a sudden longing for Billy overcoming me.

Whenever there was a thunderstorm near me, he would drive to my apartment and hold me until it was over or until I was okay.

Bad things happened in thunderstorms, and the thunder always managed to scare me.

Yes, I am afraid of heights and thunderstorms but not man eating dinosaurs.

Then the skies opened up and the rain poured down; big, fat, heavy, cold drops that stung my skin and soaked me instantly.

"Well this sucks."

* * *

After all the shit was washed off of everyone, Mr. Kirby looked at his phone. "You got enough battery maybe for one call. Whatever you do, don't call the U.S. Embassy, they won't do a damn thing!"

"Dad," Mark and I said at the same time. We looked at each other, and I knew we were on the same wavelength.

Dad looked at us for a second, then nodded. His fingers started typing in the familiar number we all knew by heart, when Eric yelled from the back of the boat.

"Hey guys! Come look at this."

I walked towards the little cage in the middle of the barge, a little spooked. With the noise from the rain and thunder and the cover of night, we were susceptible to attack.

"Bonitas." Dad said, and I knew that was a type of fish.

"Something must have spooked them." Eric said back, and then Dad turned back towards me and Mark, dialing quickly.

"Pick up, pick up."

"She always does." I said back over the pounding rain.

"Charlie?" Dad asked, and I had the sudden urge to talk to my seven year old brother. "Charlie! Take the phone to mommy now! Take the phone to mommy! It's Daddy!" he said into the phone, and I swore that I heard him say okay before the barge was rammed forward harshly, causing me to fly back towards the front of the barge. My hands closed around my bag and his camera case, and I stood up quickly, tossing them on.

"Maggie!" Mark shouted just as Spiny reared up from the water and looked down at us. My eyes bugged out of my head and I dashed into the cage with the others. Right now, it was safest. I scrambled around inside, trying not to be too close to the sides.

I jerked as Spiny grabbed the cage with both hands, trying to pull us into the water.

That's when the phone started ringing.

"Find it!" Dad shouted, and I looked towards the side, the phone sliding around on the side deck.

I shoved my arm outside the cage, trying desperately to get it, but it slipped under my fingers and I fumed in frustration, but Dad managed to catch it right before it slipped off the boat.

And of course, we were slid off of the boat, trapped in a cage.

I shrieked slightly as the cold water hit me, and started taking deep breaths as we were slowly pushed under.

"The river! Site B! The river!" I heard Dad shout into the phone as I struggled to get some last air before we were under. I opened my eyes, and saw that the cage hit the river floor, opening the cage door. Mr. Kirby swan out of it, but I ran out of air, and darted back to the top, taking in a deep breath.

Spiny looked in the cage, thrusting his nose in, which I punched right in the nostril. He roared loudly, then removed his snout and reached in with a claw.

"Shit!" I screeched, trying desperately to avoid his claw.

Mrs. Kirby screamed as the claw reached towards her, and I saw blood ooze in the water. But I had to stay in my corner.

Spiny ripped his hand from the water, causing the cage to spin around in the water, submerging us.

I hadn't had time to draw a breath, so I braced myself and swam towards where the cage door was; in the direction of freedom.

Dad had already made his way through, and pulled me and Eric out, the others barely managing to escape as well.

"Swim!" He shouted at us when we surfaced. I did what he said, swimming towards the bank as fast as I possibly could.

_Billy. _

He loved swimming. My heart clenched tightly.

"_Stay alive!" _His voice echoed in my ears, and I pushed on, blocking him as much as I could from my mind, just trying to stay alive.

Soon enough, I could stumble out of the water, the camera bag and my bag still on my back surprisingly.

"Look!" Mark shouted, pointing at the huge crane. Mr. Kirby was standing on it, trying to get Spiny's attention, which he did.

"Paul!" Mrs. Kirby cried, worry written all across her face. She still loved him.

I watched in horror as Spiny whacked the crane with his head, causing Mr. Kirby to fall.

"Dad!" Eric cried.

"Where the hell is our dad?" Mark yelled to me. I scanned the water and saw him pointing something at Spiny.

"There!" I pointed, shouting over the rain.

"What the hell does he have?" At that moment, Dad shot the thing he was holding. It was a flare gun.

The flare hit Spiny in the side, and he shot another that landed in the water, effectively lighting the gasoline that had spilled on it, on fire.

Spiny roared and reared away from the flames, but Mr. Kirby dropped into the flaming water from the crane, which was at least 40 feet in the air.

"PAUL!" Mrs. Kirby shouted.

"Dad!" Eric cried, trying to push his way past me, but I latched my fingers onto the back of his shirt, keeping him here.

"Paul! You can't leave me like that!" Mrs. Kirby said, almost yelling in distress. I felt her pain, I felt my pain. Tears came unwillingly to my eyes but I blinked them away, struggling to keep the heartbreak at bay.

_Don't think about it. Don't think about it. _

"I'm not going anywhere." I whirled around, Eric still in my grip, to see none other than Paul Kirby standing there, soaking wet. Mrs. Kirby and Eric ran at him, wrapping their arms around him tightly.

"Never do that again." I faintly heard Mrs. Kirby say.

"Come on. We have to find somewhere safe to stay the night." Dad said over the rain.

"In the trees Dad." I said, motioning towards the jungle. "They can't climb the trees."

"I know. Come on." He took his pack from Mark, then looked at me, his eyes sad. Not thinking about it, I walked over to him, and wrapped my arms around my dad.

"It'll be okay." I whispered to him.

"I know."

"Mom knows people. She will get us out of here."

"Think so?"

"Know so." Dad smiled a bit at that, then released me, and walked along the bank for a while before heading into the jungle.

We found two huge trees that were close enough together that we could stay the night in, the Kirbys in one, the Grants in the other.

Dad reached into his backpack and took out an old InGen lantern and flicked it on. The tree's leaves kept most the rain from dripping down on us, but it was still moist.

I reached into my backpack and pulled out his camera bag, thanking the heavens that both mine and his camera cases were waterproof.

"Dad," He looked over at me, his eyes blinking wearily. "What's this?" I held up what looked like an internal organ, but none I had ever seen before. It felt like it was made of a plastic resin. Dad smiled softly and took it from me.

"This is a velociraptor resonating chamber." He said. "This is how they communicate."

"So you still hold firm to the belief that they can talk to each other?" Mark asked, sounding exhausted.

"Yes, I do."

"I'll take it." I said quietly, taking the resonating chamber from Dad and putting it back into Billy's case. His camera was perfectly fine, as was mine. I put my case back into my bag, then reached for my notebook, groaning when I opened it.

"Well shit."

"What is it Mags?" Mark asked. Dad had fallen asleep already.

"My notebook is ruined. I don't know how I am going to read my notes."

"You'll figure it out. You are the genius in this family."

"Get some sleep."

"Will do."

With that, Mark closed his eyes and was asleep almost instantly.

Replacing everything in my backpack and zipping shut Billy's camera case, I placed them on the branch, then stood up lightly, climbing up a little higher, where I could be alone.

Once I was settled, I lay on my stomach, tightly gripping the branch.

Sadness and loss overwhelmed me, and I let the tears fall from my eyes, the light rain mixing with them on my face.

* * *

"Maggie?" I looked up, startled from my sleep, then looked down to see Mark staring up at me. "You okay?"

"We leaving?" I asked hoarsely, my voice cracking from my crying last night.

"Yes." I clambered down, not even caring how careless I was being. I slung my backpack over my shoulders tightly, then gingerly placed Billy's camera bag over one shoulder and adjusting the strap so it hung across my body.

Once again, I volunteered to go first, climbing down to the lowest branch and dropping soundlessly, looking around carefully.

There was nothing around us but a slight layer of fog on the ground from the rain the night before. I waved my hand, and heard everyone drop to the ground one by one.

We walked in a straight line, with Dad in the front.

I don't know how long we walked, but I felt the ground give away beneath my feet and stumbled. Mr. Kirby reached out and grabbed me, keeping me from falling.

"Thanks." I mumbled, looking down.

Sand was coating the ground.

_What the fuck? _

My gaze shot around, looking at the spacing of the trees, the type of them, how tall they grew, and the sand beneath our feet.

That's when I saw it.

A gleaming eye in the brush, staring right at us.

"Stop! Everyone stop!" I said, loud as I dared. Dad whirled around and looked at me, a confused look on his face. "We are being hunted."

"What?"

"Oh Lord."

"Raptors?" Dad asked, quietly, coming to stand by me. I nodded then jerked my head in the direction I had seen the eye.

"I see her. Everyone over here." Dad took charge, and we gathered in a circle, all of us looking around.

I heard it, the stealthy crunching of leaves beneath clawed feet, the soft breathing.

"Mags. Give me the camera bag."

"Dad!"

"Do it."

I nodded, then slowly took it off, my gaze on the raptor I could see in front of me. I knew that there was probably one for each of us, if not more.

_No sudden movements. Will just prompt them to attack. _

I heard Dad slowly unzip Billy's bag, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw him raise the resonating chamber to his mouth, then blew what sounded like a warning sound.

The raptors closed in around us, and I heard Mrs. Kirby gasp from beside me.

"Hold your ground." The raptors started aggressively responding to the sounds Dad was making, snarling and biting in our direction, their large claws twitching on the ground.

Mr. Kirby noticed the aggressiveness, and balked. "No, no, call for help." He told Dad.

Dad obeyed and starting calling for help. The raptors looked confused, their noises coming differently.

The lead raptor, a different color and bigger female that was standing right in front of me kept them from attacking, almost as if she was thinking. Dad stopped making the noise, and she cocked her head, listening.

My breath caught in my lungs as she stopped moving, but then I heard it too.

A dull roar, with another sound, almost like…

"Helicopters." I heard Mark whisper, and I felt everyone slightly relax.

The raptors didn't like the sound however, and the head female growled, then turned into the bush, the pack whirling around us and following.

"The beach! Go!" Dad said, and we all ran through jungle, not caring about how quiet we were.

I smelt salt, and it hit me that _we were being rescued. _

"Dr. Grant? Dr. Alan Grant?" A single, lone man with a bullhorn stood right at the water's edge. I looked at him, confused, and then smirked at the two elder Kribys ran at him, waving their arms.

"NO! STOP! THAT'S A VERY BAD IDEA!"

However, as soon as the words left their mouths, out of the water rolled tanks, who's doors open and out poured military men.

"Wow. She called the Navy and the Marines!" Eric said, very happy about this. I looked at Dad. His eyebrows raised.

"God bless you Ellie."

"I love you Mom!" Mark cried, throwing his hands in the air as we walked forward, greeting the man who had the bullhorn. He directed us towards one of the choppers, and we all ducked our heads and got on.

"Dr. Grant, this man with you?" The bullhorn guy asked, and I looked over Dad's shoulder.

The sharp tan skin, the dark brown hair.

_Billy. _

"Maggie um, you might want to-" I hopped on the chopper, brushing by Dad, and was at _his_ side in an instant.

"Mags. My Mags." Billy croaked. I looked him over, tears spilling over in my eyes, relief washing over me. His voice cracked. He was covered in bandages with blood on them, but he _was alive. _

"Billy. Oh God, I thought I lost you." I whispered, tears still spilling over. I placed my hand on his cheek lightly, trying not to hurt him.

Relief was pooling over. I didn't lose him; he was here, he was alive! All my memories resurfaced, and I cried more, out of happiness.

"I'm not going anywhere." He managed to get out, a smile brushing across his lips. "I'm right here." He reached up slowly with his right hand and placed it on my cheek. I kissed his palm lightly, and he smiled.

"Miss, you need to take your seat now." The bullhorn man insisted. I brushed him off and looked at Billy.

"I love you." I whispered. He moved gingerly, wiping my tears away. I could tell it pained him, but he still did it.

"I love you Maggie. Here." he handed me Dad's favorite hat, and I smiled, choking on more sobs.

"I'm right here."

"I know."

The bullhorn man pulled me away from Billy, and I handed Dad his hat, but my eyes were still on _his _face. He gave me another smile, his eyes looking right into mine before they slipped shut, a result of probably the ten liters of morphine I bet was pumped in his system.

"Mags!" Mark shouted at me. I looked at him. He gave me a smile, which I returned, feeling whole again.

"Dr. Grant!" I looked in the direction Eric was pointing and saw three pteranodons flying, and as they passed behind us, I looked out my window, following them until they disappeared into the clouds.

"Where do you think they're going?" Eric asked over the chopper noise.

"Probably looking for a new nesting grounds!" Dad responded.

"I dare them to nest in Oklahoma." Mrs. Kirby said through her teeth. Mr. Kirby looked at her, a smile on his face.

"Let's go home." Mrs. Kirby said to him. Eric laughed happily, and I looked over at Billy. His chest was rhythmically rising and falling, and I breathed another sigh of relief.

He was alive.

He was mine.

We were still whole, still one.

Not even the horrors of dinosaurs could come between us, thankfully.

And even though I don't believe in luck, we did get lucky.

God, I sound like Ian Malcolm now.


End file.
